Emancipation
by Princess Rayen
Summary: Salvation never looked so cute. Sequel to Enslaved.
1. Checkpoint

Emancipation

Checkpoint

* * *

"It's been a few months, hasn't it Master?"

My name is Yuusei and that's all. Around eight months ago I ran away from my home in Neo Domino Castle and away from the things that caused me so much pain. I ran to Satellite to the little cottage where my former Master lives in hiding after escaping from the castle dungeons.

I found Sho there too. Master had been harboring him ever since he escaped. They had been planning my death for a while but since I started living with them, they've since stopped. It doesn't stop me from sleeping with a lock on my door and window.

Kiryu hummed as I poured water on his head and washed his hair. I didn't like to address him as anything other than Master because it was just my personal preference. I didn't want to become too attached here despite living here in secret for more than half a year. If I felt the need to abandon these two I had become accustom to living with, I would without hesitation.

"Where is Little Blue?" He asked me.

"Sho went to the market for more food."

It's a good thing Kiryu had a habit of putting aside random amounts of money. We just recently found a pouch of parchment money that would get us food for almost a year if we spent it right. I had taken over the duty of cooking and taking care of Kiryu as his sickness was debilitating and he would get senile moments as if he were an old man like now and couldn't even bathe himself. He had such a high fever and bad cough for so long it was no surprise that his head wasn't on straight anymore. It was hard to remember that he was only twenty-four now.

Sho was the only one who could go outside because if anyone saw Kiryu and knew he was wanted, we couldn't chance that they wouldn't turn him in. I couldn't go because my face might not be known but my features were. I was the King's slave and if I was seen the reward for turning me in would probably be higher than Kiryu's head on a stick.

I poured water again and washed Kiryu's arms and legs. "You're such a good boy Yuu, I love you."

"Yes, Master. I know." He repeated the same things over and over to me and as I helped him stand and dry his stupidly tall body, I couldn't wait until he regained his sanity again.

I heard the door open and slam just as quickly and I smiled as I dressed Kiryu. "You hear that Master? Sho is home."

"I'm back!"

"Welcome home!" I called. I pulled Kiryu's pants up and tied a leather cord around them so they would stay up because he's so thin. I led him to the living room and sat him down in his favorite chair.

I shivered as I remembered kneeling at that place on the floor and getting kicked in the face more than once.

"Meat and apples are getting so expensive." Sho complained as I came around to help him unpack the satchel.

"Yeah? What did you get this time?" I asked.

"I got some fresh goose that we can use for stew and that should last a few days. I got a bushel of apples and loads of dried beef. Probably half a cow's worth of dried beef. It's getting cold here again so we're gonna need it. There's some carrot and potato here too. All of the scallion crops had died so there was none for sale."

"We'll have to do without the scallions. The soup can still be delicious."

He was silent as I pulled out the skinned goose and prepped it. "What's wrong?"

"I was wondering how we're going to survive this coming winter if we can't light the fire."

I sighed as I began slicing the goose meat from the bones. "I thought about it too, but we'll have to light it. The overgrowth probably has already started to die and there will be no other insulation for the cottage. You'll have to go out tomorrow and see what kind of furs they have now because it's going to be a hard winter. We'll need a multitude of them just to stay warm and if we can cover the chimney to prevent too much smoke from leaving and more cold air coming in. You'll have to help me cover it but we'll have to do it at night."

"Yuu? Where are you?"

"I'm here Master, go back to sleep."

It was quiet again and I started the fire for the stove. The heat was refreshing for the chill that had started on the air and I closed the door. "Also if we light the fire from the stove and leave the door open it can also warm the cottage like this."

Sho nodded and I went to lay on the floor. "When the sun is at a quarter from down, it will be ready. We can't eat until then."

"Do you want apple to pass the time?"

"Sure.." I laid my arms over my face and sighed. I was tired. Tired of pretending that I wasn't affected by my current situation, tired of thinking I was okay just because I didn't have to worry about starving, tired of living this life as a slave who was still shackled by the events of the past.

I shivered as Jack's piercing violets fluttered across my mind's eye. I missed him more than anything but he was better off without me anyway. He had his wife, he would fulfill his duties as a king and have an heir and his life would be happier without me interfering as I had been.

"Yuusei, your apples." Sho had a cloth with apples on it and I sat up to eat with him.

I ignored the frustrating thoughts I had and tried to relax as we waited for the stew to cook. Kiryu was still sleeping and it didn't seem like he would wake up anytime soon. I laid back on the floor when the apples were gone. I had turned seventeen already and Jack would be twenty soon, it was amazing how quickly the time had passed. I was kind of relieved they hadn't found me. If I had to face Jack again after all this time, I didn't know if I could.

I missed Judai of course and Johan and I know Judai was worried sick but if they thought I was dead, it would be better that way.

"Yuusei! Oi, Yuusei!" Sho was shaking me and I swatted him away.

"I'm awake! Quit shaking me!"

"The sun has settled already."

"Ah," I rubbed my eyes, "is the food done?"

"Yes," he responded, "I've already served Master and he's complained of a headache so he's gone to bed already."

"I see." I dragged my exhausted body from the floor and made myself a bowl. "Where's the iron container? We should store this soon."

Sho nodded and agreed to go find it. "I'll take it to the water to rinse it out. It hasn't been used in a long time has it?"

"That's just fine."

Sho ran out of the house with the dusty iron box and I smiled. He had such negative feelings toward me but living together these past few months has made me see him as a little brother.

It only took a few minutes for Sho to return and I stared as he dripped from head to toe. "I fell in the river."

I snorted and he handed me the tin to go dry off.

I stored the stew and wrapped the tin in a cloth and rope to store until tomorrow. Sho came out dried off and in a change of clothing and sat with me on the floor.

"Yuusei, do you ever want to return to the castle?"

I hummed, "I think about it all the time but I wouldn't want to. Not willingly anyway. If something ever brought me back to that castle, there would never be any kind of chance for me to escape again."

We relaxed in the silence but it wasn't long lived. There was a knock on the door and I looked at Sho. The knock came again but louder and I stood. Sho stood too and I pushed him behind me. It was silent only for a second and then there was a loud bang and the door came down. Men in masks began to storm the cottage. One by one, they entered the cottage and I tried to push Sho out of the way but I was grabbed. They forced my arms behind my back and I kicked out as I was dragged from the house.

My hands were bound with a rope and I was thrown onto a horse. The man who grabbed me mounted the steed and rode off.

The ride was uncomfortable on my stomach and I tried to shout but I was ignored. The man took another mask out of a satchel put it over my head. It was hard to breathe but after a while the horse slowed down and stopped. I felt the man get off the horse and he pulled me off too. My feet barely had a chance to touch the ground before I was lifted from the ground again and he threw me over his shoulder.

"Let me go! Let go!" I began to kick and struggle again and I was rewarded with a sharp smack to my ass.

I was shocked and disgusted so I decided to not let it happen again. I felt that we had ascended some stairs and then we were walking straight again. Right, left, straight, left straight, it had seemed so oddly familiar in my head but I couldn't place what it was.

"Please, where are you taking me?"

I was met with more silence and the rope was beginning to bite into my wrists. I heard the faint sound of a door opening and suddenly I was thrown onto something soft. I was shocked when the mask was pulled from my head and the man was leaning over me.

"You know Yuusei," my breath caught in my throat when that voice reached my ears, "don't you think I've allowed you enough freedom?"

He pulled his mask off slowly and I was accosted with stunning violet irises and vibrant blonde hair.

"My king..."

* * *

I finally decided to write a sequel. If you haven't read Enslaved yet, it would probably be best to read that first. I hope you enjoyed.


	2. Treason

Emancipation

Treason

* * *

I winced as his fingers pushed into me, stretching and probing. I cried out as he pushed into the sensitive spot inside me and I shivered as orgasm played with me before retreating. It had been so long since I had felt that sensation but I didn't want to beg to this man I had tried so hard to escape.

It didn't take him long to thrust into me and I gasped in pain and squeezed my eyes shut. He shushed me and pulled me up close to him. I wrapped my tied arms around his neck as I slid down on his cock a bit more and a moan escaped my lips. He jerked his hips up and I squeezed him tightly.

I was surprised when he let go of my hips and leaned back on his hands. I stared at him in question and he smirked at me but his violet irises reflected deep sadness. "If you really want this, do it yourself, or you can leave me right here, right now. You can walk out of those doors but if you do, my guards wait for you outside and they will take you immediately to be hanged for treason." He forced out a laugh and presented me a vial of liquid, "if you decide that to be your fate, I will take this vial the moment you leave and join you in your death."

It frightened me that he spoke so openly about death while we were connected in such a way. I felt sick as I lifted myself from him and I pitied him as his face contorted into utter heartbreak. I took the vial from his fingers and let it fall to the floor before I laid down on the pillows with my ass facing him.

He wasted no time and it felt so good. I had little mobility as my hands were still tied but I buried my face in the pillow as he slammed into me. I shouted as he pulled me up without halting his thrusting and bit my shoulder. "Don't hold your voice from me," he growled.

I didn't know who this man embracing me was but as my entire body shuddered in orgasm and he coated my insides with his familiar warmth I couldn't help but to pass out in the safety of his arms like I was used to doing. He was no longer the valiant blonde king I had fallen in love with, that much was certain, but the rest could be sorted when I awakened from that blissful nightmare.

* * *

I woke when Jack picked me up from the bed. He was fully naked finally and a part of me was aroused hoping that we would do it again in the bath. I groaned when he sunk into the bath with me and the warm water surrounded us. My back hurt terribly but I sighed in slight relief. He washed my body and hair gently and I woke up a bit more after he poured the water over my head. I whacked him halfheartedly and he chuckled lightly as he pulled me out of the water. He wrapped a towel around my shoulder and he remained naked as we went into the bedroom. He took the towel and dried my hair before drying his own body.

It was oddly strange to be going to our normal routine like nothing had ever happened. The unusual silence was the only thing out of place. There were clothes laying out for me and I slipped them on quietly, not knowing how Jack would react. Eight months ago, I ran away from the castle two weeks after Jack had gotten married. I managed for a while to stay hidden and there was no doubt that Jack would have people looking for me so I never left the cottage. He had to be so angry.

"Yuusei." I jumped and looked up at him. He came close to me and I shut my eyes expecting the worst. I heard a sigh and felt a tug at my shirt. "I was right, your buttons are all wrong."

I looked down and watched him unbutton and rebutton my shirt and I blushed when I thought about those lean fingers that had glided across my skin the night before. He finished and I put my pants on quickly before he noticed my rising arousal.

He dressed slowly and I watched his back as his muscles moved under his skin. I looked away when his shirt came over his shoulders and hid everything from my view.

He went to his table and grabbed a pouch before coming back to me. He placed the pouch in my hands and I knew it had to be new jewelry again. "Put those on and we can leave."

I opened it and it was a few pieces with the same black and red jewels on them. There were two bracelets, an anklet, and instead of a collar, there was a simple necklace. I put them on and went to Jack to help him put on his cloak. He slipped it on and I smiled as he turned to face me. His eyebrows were furrowed and my smiled disappeared. I reached to touch his forehead and grabbed my hand and pulled me into an embrace.

He squeezed me so tightly and buried his face in my neck. I shivered as his warm breath caressed my skin and wrapped my arms around his back. "I'm so happy you're back with me Yuusei."

I smiled again and he let me go. "Come on, we have a lot to do today."

I followed behind him as we exited his chambers. His guards greeted him and I kept my head bowed as we walked past. I looked up as I noticed we were headed toward a part of the castle I had never been to. Jack stopped at a door and knocked on it quietly.

I was surprised when a woman opened the door and a bright smile covered her face. She had dark circles under her eyes and her blue coloured hair was frayed.

"Mikage," Jack nodded to her.

"Good morning Your Majesty." She bowed. "He's been fussy all morning as usual but he's still eating well. I think he was awaiting your arrival. You come at this time without fail."

"Of course." She opened the door fully and Jack stepped inside the room. I followed behind him and she seemed to just notice me.

"You acquired a new slave, My Lord?"

"Nothing of the sort. Come here Yuusei."

I walked over to Jack and I was finally able to place what was strange about this room. There were two tiny little cages with wooden bars next to each other and inside these little cages were things moving and wriggling around. Jack reached into one of these little cages and carefully pulled the huge worm looking thing from the soft fluff at the bottom. I had seen three of these during my time as Jack's slave but I didn't know what they were.

"What is that?" I asked and he chuckled. He turned it to me and I was peered at by bleak violets that mirrored Jack's.

"This is my son, Jasper Atlus."

I stared at Jack in disbelief and I was surprised when he handed it to me and explained to me how to hold it properly. "I-it's not a worm?"

Jack laughed hard then and tried to quiet when it started making noise. I panicked and my arms shook as it got louder. "What do I do? What's wrong with it?"

I tried to hand it back to Jack and he took it in his arms and shushed it. The noises got quieter before they stopped altogether. I peered over into the blanket, "did it die?"

Jack's entire body shook in suppressed laughter as he situated the thing back into my arms. "He's sleeping. You act like you've never seen an infant before."

I looked down at the thing, no, the infant in my arms and frowned. It was pink and squishy and had a little nose and puffed eyes and cheeks. I didn't know if you could call it cute but my heart twitched the longer I stared. "I haven't seen one before."

I looked at Jack who blinked at me. "Really?"

I sighed. "You have to think, I've been in the market since I was ten. I haven't had many chances to see one up close."

Jack hummed. He began to walk to the door and I stared at him in horror. "We're taking it with us?"

"Of course, you thought I would leave him here?"

I shut my mouth and follow him out of the door.

"My king, are you sure this a good idea?" The woman, Mikage, asked as she pointedly stared at me.

"Are you questioning me Mikage?" I saw a glimpse of the cold, sadistic man from last night in him as he asked and she shivered.

"No, my king. Enjoy your day." She bowed and we left the room. I followed Jack around while holding Jasper. We were stopped by people so that they could look at the heir to the throne and that's when I noticed the guards that followed us closely but far enough to maintain privacy in our conversations. I tried my best to stay behind Jack as we walked but he just wouldn't have it and finally wrapped his arm around my waist to keep me next to him.

I looked around in confusion as we stopped at another door I didn't recognize. He took Jasper from my arms and knocked on the door. I gasped in surprise when Johan appeared from behind the door. He had grown taller and his hair had gotten longer. I covered my mouth with my hands and Jack nudged me inside the room.

Johan called out for Judai and I watched as my brother, my best friend, my everything came out of the bathroom. His shoulders sagged and he had gotten thinner and paler and his hair drooped like soggy bread.

"You called Master?" His head was bowed but he knew there were other people in the room.

"You have visitors."

He looked up with dark, tired eyes, his brown irises dull and lidded. He didn't seem to be paying attention to us but he suddenly became really angry.

"What is he doing here?!" He pointed and I realized he wasn't talking about me but about Jack behind me. "I said I never wanted to see his face again!"

He went from calm to crying uncontrollably and he hunched over and covered his mouth and I knew he was going to be sick on the floor. I ran over to him before anyone could stop me and held him in my arms.

"Judai, Judai, please calm down. It's me, Yuusei, don't you remember?" He fought against me and I forced him to look at me. He stared at me for a long time but I knew he wasn't seeing me.

"No, no, no, stop it! Stop hallucinating, he's not here, he's not..." He muttered to himself over and over. He began to pull at his hair and I grabbed his hands.

"Judai, it's me, I'm here, I promise."

"No! Stop it!" He raised his hand and slapped me hard. The sound resounded in the room and I bit my tongue to keep from crying.

I patted his hair as he cried and snotted in my shirt. I held myself together as he shuddered every few seconds and I knew he had passed out.

Johan came around and took Judai from my arms and he looked so small and frail in the prince's arms. I stood from the floor and Jack was frowning at me. I lifted my hand to my cheek and winced at the slight pressure. It had to look bad but I didn't care. I looked at Judai who was being tucked in by Johan.

"How long has he been that way?" I asked as I trotted over to Jack.

"It's been this way since you disappeared. When he found out you disappeared he waited for any indication that you would come back or anything and when you didn't in the next month, he started blaming Jack for not looking harder for you and tried to escape a few times. He stopped eating, starting having nightmares and tried to avoid sleeping. He began hallucinating and I haven't been able to get him out of the room since then. As you can see, any reminder of you will send him into an episode of psychosis. He believed he was hallucinating again since he persuaded himself that you were dead."

I looked at the floor in guilt. I hadn't even thought about how Judai would feel when I left. I had been so selfish and I felt so terrible. Jack put his arm around my waist and pulled me close.

"Thanks Johan, I appreciate this."

Johan snorted, "at least he didn't attack you this time."

Jack laughed also, "I don't think he liked those consequences. The council was on my ass for days about that."

Johan nodded and Jack opened the door then, "we'll come back later."

We left his chambers and Jack situated Jasper in my arms. "We're going to the dining hall now and then we're taking Jasper back to Mikage. He'll be waking up to eat soon."

I finally remembered the thing that had been bothering most all morning. I hesitated for a moment before I opened my mouth and asked, "Jack, where's your. . . wife?"

I swallowed and looked around as if she were going to pop up at any moment.

"She's dead." He replied simply.

"Wh-what?" I halted in my steps and he turned to me, "how?"

He shrugged, "I got tired of her and after she had my heir I had her poisoned and she died."

I stared at him in horror and he began to laugh. "I'm only teasing. She died in childbirth almost a month ago when she had Jasper."

"Oh. I'm sorry." I felt bad a bit but I was also happy she wasn't around.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I really didn't care for her and I was only lucky that she had a boy first." He stepped to me and lifted my chin for a kiss. "I meant what I said back then. She was only a conduit for a child. She fulfilled her purpose and was no longer useful nor needed. It's only you I need now."

I swallowed at the coldness in his voice. I nodded at him and he turned away. We walked to the dining hall in relative silence. Jasper had woken up and he was staring at me and I was mesmerized by his shining eyes. They were exact replicas of Jack's and he was just too cute. He was still pink and squishy but I couldn't stop staring.

"Yuusei." I looked up slowly to Jack and he smiled at me. "Have you been lovestruck?"

I looked back at Jasper who was still staring at me. "I think so."

"You'll have to look up. We're at the dining hall now and I can't have you starve all day or walk around blindly."

I nodded and forced myself to look away from Jasper's face. The guards opened the door for Jack after bowing and I followed. There were many people in the dining hall eating and everyone stood and bowed in Jack's presence.

"My King!" They all greeted almost in unison.

Jack nodded to everyone and went to the head of the table at the far end as usual. I followed in silence but I heard their whispers. I felt embarrassed, I was only a mere slave holding onto the next heir to the throne. It just occurred to me how important this little defenseless infant was and how important it was for me to protect him. Jack waited for me and that's when I noticed that he had pulled out a seat at the table and looked at me expectantly.

I stepped forward to sit when I heard a loud bang and I jumped. Jack looked up and I turned my head to look.

"Pardon my rudeness, Your Majesty, but are you sure it is wise to allow a mere slave to sit at a table meant for nobles? Also, I must say it is quite irresponsible to allow it to sit in the seat meant for the Queen consort along with allowing it to have possession on the Crown Prince."

He continued to say 'it' but I then remembered that slaves are only possessions and to snotty nobles such as him, we were not worthy of titles such as male or female.

I recognized him as a member of Jack's council and Jack stood up straight and that cold demeanor that surrounded him last night had returned. "I see. So I suppose you would have me allow him to sit on the floor with my son? Is that how you would like your future king treated Sir Godwin?"

I looked at the man there as I recognized the name of the man who bought me from the Western Market after I was stolen from my master but it wasn't the same man.

"N-no, My Lord, I didn't mean it as such!"

Jack glared at the man. "I suppose you don't remember the punishment I bestowed on your brother do you, Rudger Godwin?"

The blonde headed man sat back in his seat immediately. "Please forgive me, My Lord. I meant no disrespect."

"I expect you to stay in line Sir Godwin."

"Yes, My king."

Jack pulled me to sit in the chair and I kept my head bowed to Jasper who had fallen back to sleep. I was too nervous to eat anything and I was grateful that Jack didn't try to force me.

He stood after he had finished eating and I stood as well. I didn't want to be in the dining hall with these people or their whispers and stares any longer.

I was surprised though when in front of all these people Jack grabbed my chin and kissed me. I don't mean a simple, light kind of kiss but a meant for the bedroom kind of kiss and because of my occupied hands I had no option of pushing him away. My knees were weak by the end and I lost my breath again as Jack licked his lips.

"So that you're aware, if you didn't see, I have claimed my consort. Be sure the spread the word."

It was an uproar as Jack and I departed the dining hall and I didn't know if I liked the satisfied smirk that took over his face then.

Jasper started to cry because the noise scared him but no matter what I did after, he wouldn't stop.

"It's okay, he's just hungry now. It's past noon so he's angry he didn't get fed on time."

I nodded tearfully as the poor little thing screamed and little baby tears rolled down his face. The woman Mikage was waiting for us at her room and she took Jasper and shut the door.

"Will he be okay?"

Jack nodded and took my hand. "Mikage will take care of him for a bit while we take care of some business."

He pulled me along and I sighed. "Why did you do that in the dining hall just now?"

"I am the king and I can do whatever I please." He responded.

I rolled my eyes, "you do realize I'm only a slave right? I cannot just be made into the King's consort just because you say so."

"It's because I said so that you can. You don't seem to understand that a king is a king for a reason."

"Yes, yes."

The word seemed to spread quickly as the people who passed us by bowed but stared and whispered as well.

I glared at Jack as we came upon a dark corridor. I recognized it vaguely but it wasn't until we arrived at the rotting wooden door that I realized we were at the dungeons. Jack nodded to the guard and the door was opened for us. Jack ushered me to go down the stairs first and we were greeted by another guard who led us down the long corridor of metal cages. The guard stopped at one and I gasped and knelt down in front of the cell.

"Sho!"

"Yuusei!" The blunette had been beaten I could tell but what I noticed was Kiryu who was laying in his lap. Even in the dark, he was pale and I could see the sweat on his face and neck. The dungeon was chilly from the pre winter air and they'd been there since last night it had to be. Kiryu was still in his thin pants and shirt and Sho in his tunic.

I look pleadingly at Jack who had stoned features and crossed arms. "What are you going to do to them?"

"They'll be beheaded of course." He responded.

I stood up in shock and went to him. "You can't do that!"

"And why can't I?" His tone was cool and I knew I was pushing it with him.

"If - if you do that, you'll have to put me in there to be beheaded with them." I retorted.

"Is that so?"

"Yes." I clenched my fists. "They were fine before I intruded in their lives and now they're here because you came looking for me. I'll take the punishment with them if I can't change your mind."

I glared at him as his piercing violets stared right through me. I wasn't afraid to die but I knew that if at any point Jack became tired and abandoned me, I would welcome death with open arms.

"Guard, stick him in the cell with the other traitors."

The guard nodded and opened the cage and I stared into his violets a little longer before I entered the cell.

He came to me and grabbed my chin. "The guillotine will be ready for public viewing tomorrow morning."

"I'll await you in death, my king."

He turned away and left the dungeons. I listened to the sound of the closing door echo around the rocky walls before my knees collapsed under me.

* * *

Wow things are just becoming terrible aren't they? I have started on the next chapter, look forward to it.


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